Billing for the water charge shall be made on the monthly water bills of the City to the water account which provides water service for the family living unit, establishment or other concern which is served by the water system. In addition to the water charge, the water bill shall include thereon the stormwater utility fee, the ambulance service charge, the sanitation charge, and the sanitary sewer charge, including any service or delinquency charges as may hereinafter be imposed by the terms of this title. All of the various charges included on the water bill, as above set out, shall be referred to collectively as the "utility charge", and the following shall apply to the billing and payment of said utility charge:
A. The utility charge shall be due and payable on or before the due date as shown on the water bill.
B. Except as provided in this subsection partial payments of the utility charge will not be accepted after the cutoff date set forth in subsection D of this section. Provided, however, that the City Council in the event of any unforeseen occurrence causing, or expected to cause, a substantial increase in the total amount of any one month's utility billing, may by resolution provide that the individual bills within said billing period may be paid by installments over an extended period, never to exceed three (3) months, and shall prescribe a different due date for said single billing period.
C. Payment of the utility charge by a check which is subsequently returned for any reason, shall result in a twenty five dollar ($25.00) returned check service charge. This amount plus the amount of the original check and any accumulated penalties must be paid prior to restoration of service.
D. In the event the utility charge is not paid in full by the due date shown thereon, a delinquency charge of fifteen percent (15%) of the unpaid balance shall be added to the utility charge. In the event the utility charge is not paid in full by the expiration of five (5) days after the due date, the water connection may be cut off by the City. Provided, that the City shall not attach a late charge on any bill of another governmental entity or public trust until a thirty (30) day period has elapsed from the issuance of said bill; that after the elapse of said thirty (30) days without the utility charge being paid a delinquency charge of fifteen percent (15%) of the unpaid balance shall be added to the utility charge; and in the event the utility charge is not paid in full by the expiration of forty (40) days after issuance of the bill, the water connection may be cut off by the City.
E. When a utility account is placed on the delinquent list for the nonpayment of any utility charge, there will be charged and collected by the City, in addition to the amount of the past due utility charge and any other service charges, an additional sum of thirty dollars ($30.00) for being placed on the delinquent list and/or disconnection of service. In the event that there has been a history of unauthorized connection to or opening of valves associated with the meter on the applicable service account, then the City may remove the meter and place an additional service charge of sixty five dollars ($65.00) on the account for that service; such service charge shall not be made if a completely new account is created by a new consumer who is not the old account holder nor a family member or roommate of the old account holder. The total sum of charges due must be paid in full prior to reconnection. Provided that if the account holder has never previously been placed on the delinquent list, and if the delinquency was caused by a financial event unlikely to reoccur in the normal life of the account holder, the utility billing office shall have the authority to waive the thirty dollar ($30.00) fee on a single occasion.
F. Adjustments to water service charges shall be made only when: 1) a faulty meter has given an inaccurate reading; 2) improper reading of a meter has resulted in an improper charge; or 3) a newly discovered leak is found that is not attributable to the actions or omissions of the property owner, and which results in a charge that is at least three hundred percent (300%) of the average bill for water usage at that property over the immediately preceding three (3) months. No more than one adjustment will be made to an account in any twelve (12) consecutive month period, and no more than one month's bill shall be adjusted on any account. All adjustments on the water bill shall require payment of the average bill over the preceding three (3) months, plus fifty percent (50%) of any discrepancy that is not caused by the City or its agents. This adjustment shall be in lieu of any adjustment to the sanitary sewer charges which may be given due to discrepancies in the water bill, at the customer's option.
G. For a utility account holder whose water service is provided by a provider other than the City of Okmulgee, in the event the account has been placed on the delinquent list for the nonpayment of any utility charge, the following actions may be taken in addition to action specified in subsection E of this section:
1. The account holder's sanitary sewer service line will be disconnected from the City's sanitary sewer main and plugged. The expense of that work will be added to the account holder's utility account.
2. The account holder's water provider will be notified that the water service should be discontinued in accordance with Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) requirements unless the property owner has connected the facility's sewer system to a septic system or other approved sewer system which was installed by an ODEQ approved installer.
3. Reconnection of the property's sanitary sewer service line to the City of Okmulgee's sanitary sewer system will be allowed only if the City Manager gives approval and the following actions are accomplished:
a. All past due amounts are paid in full to the City by the property owner.
b. The current sanitary sewer tap fee for connection to the City's sanitary sewer system is paid to the City by the property owner.
c. The property owner has a licensed plumber accomplish the reconnection of the private sanitary sewer main at the property owner's expense. (Ord. 2031, 2014: Ord. 2009, 2013: Ord. 1991, 2012: Ord. 1977, 2011)